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FBRI : Hello Paul! We are very glad to have you and your team mates participating in Figueira Beach Rugby 10th Edition! Tell us a bit about who the French Fray are!

PAUL : Well, we are a team from many cities in south of France (Nîmes, Toulouse, Montpellier). The team was create last year with friends from my studies, my childhood and my rugby team. Some players are still using to play rugby currently but the half of the team stopped rugby many years ago and are better at 3rd Half. We enjoy wearing strange stuff when we are playing, it’s our little mark…. you will see it this summer. Actually we did only one seven tournament in Budapest last summer with a third place, as i said better at partying than playing.

2. What are your expectations about the tournament?

PAUL : As we are living in different cities in France, The tournament will be the best way to meet up together. To play rugby, to have party, and to share great moments with peoples who like simple things of life. Rugby, beach, beer it’s the best mixture to spend an unforgettable moment

3. Which message you would like to sent out to everyone who will be joining you during the Figueira Beach Rugby?

PAUL : Don’t feel afraid about our appearances and our fancy dress, we have great heart, good liver and even if we don’t have the best level of rugby we have the spirit of it.

All the french fray team are looking forward to spend a wonderful weekend with all of you….#SPORT2000

FBRI : Hello Nate! We are very glad to have you and your team mates participating in Figueira Beach Rugby 10th Edition! Tell us a bit about who the PI Beach 5s Team are!

The Pacific Islanders Beach 5s team was founded back in 2007. We have always been based out of London and over the years we have had an eclectic playing group with representatives hailing from New Zealand, Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Australia, UK, Italy, and France. We represent the pride of the Pacific and hold brotherhood, family, and commitment as our key values.

FBRI : Having participated in the 2013 event edition, what are your expectations for the Figueira Beach Rugby 10th edition?

We are expecting a highly competitive tournament consisting of the best teams in Europe. As such we are putting in the work to ensure we can be competitive and measure ourselves against the best. Our last visit in 2013 was incredible, we were blown away by how friendly and welcoming everyone was, and how well the tournament was run.

FBRI : Which message you would like to sent out to everyone who will be joining you during the Figueira Beach Rugby?

We cannot wait to get back and re-connect with all our friend’s in Portugal. We look forward to meeting the best teams in Europe on the battle field of the beach arena, and then sharing good times and a few drinks once it’s all done!

In 2019 Figueira Beach Rugby celebrates 10 years and we will celebrate it BIG !!

To begin and mark this 10 years of #BeachRugbyMadness, the event will receive the first edition of the EBRA Master Final Cup. This new competition created by the European Association of Beach Rugby, will have the best 12 teams of men and 8 Women selected on the basisin his performance of the previous season.

There will be direct access to this new competition in 2019 by the EBRA Seires Champions, winners of the EBRA Circuit tournaments and champions of the National Circuits of Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal of 2018. In the case of the withdrawals of teams with direct access, wildcards will be awarded.

This new competition does not collide with the normal competition of the EBRA Series, which means that in 2019 in Figueira da Foz we will have emotion to double !!!!

Something that has started 10 years ago only as a big dream of making happen something different, became the most iconic beach rugby tournament in Europe and one of the world´s most renowned beach tournaments! Figueira Beach Rugby launched in 2010 learnt from the best, like its older cousins Super Lignano and Marseille Beach Rugby, and grown based in the passion of its organizers, setting the new standards of the sport, being an example from Australia to Dubai!

Something that has started 10 years ago only as a big dream of making happen something different, became the most iconic beach rugby tournament in Europe and one of the world´s most renowned beach tournaments! Figueira Beach Rugby launched in 2010 learnt from the best, like its older cousins Super Lignano and Marseille Beach Rugby, and grown based in the passion of its organizers, setting the new standards of the sport, being an example from Australia to Dubai!

The FBRI is about much more than just playing Beach Rugby on the Beach. Hundreds of players travel every summer to Figueira from many different nations, Spain, USA, Germany, Italy, Dubai, Belgium, Holland, France and England to experience what makes our sport unique…. the friendship, camaraderie and good vibes amongst everyone involved in the event. Smiles are in everyone´s faces and every game is a new opportunity to make new friends!

That´s why no matter if you win or lose all the games, at the end we all feel part of a big community with only one purpose…to enjoy the #BeachRugbyMadness!!!

In 2019 Figueira Beach Rugby will host the regular tournament plus the EBRA Master Cup, a new competition where the best European Teams are picked from their performance in the last EBRA Series Season! So there will be 4 champions to be crowned!!

On top of the best action in and out of the pitches we can count on many surprises, from the iconic sunset parties to a 10 years photo exhibition and much much more!!!

That´s why no matter if you win or lose all the games, at the end we all feel part of a big community with only one purpose…to enjoy the #BeachRugbyMadness!!!

In 2019 Figueira Beach Rugby will host the regular tournament plus the EBRA Master Cup, a new competition where the best European Teams arepicked from their performance in the last EBRA Series Season! So there will be 4 champions to be crowned!!

On top of the best action in and out of the pitches we can count on many surprises, from the iconic sunset parties to a 10 years photo exhibition and much much more!!!

Figueira da Foz was the stage of another fantastic edition of Figueira Beach Rugby International!

40 teams representing 8 countries, a total of more than 700 athletes, animated the Figueira Beach Arena, during two days of much Beach Rugby and Animation!

In the Men’s competition the French Les Minots won, defeating in the final the Portuguese team CDUL, while in the women’s competition the girls of Benfica defeated the strong Italian formation of Sabbie Mobilli!

During 2016 in result of Francisco Isaac (responsible for some of the best media artcles about the event) great work, we were presented with the opportunity of having Figueira beach Rugby in the Rugby World September 2016 edition! We could not believe that our tournament would be in the pages of the Rugby Holy Bible!
Alan Pearey, one of the mag editor flew over and spent 3 days in Figueira experiencing the #beachRugbyMadness! It was certainly one of the biggest achievements for the FBR organization!

The 2017 Figueira Beach Rugby International edition was once again a great success. After 7 years being organizing this event, is still with great enthusiasm that us, as organizers ,live the preparation of this event.
It´s time to see old and new friends, teams and players that year after year keep coming to the Beach Rugby Mecca, looking for the sun, the beach, the game itself, but most of all to make new friends and have FUN!
Sometimes people ask us the formula of success. Well… we don´t have much to say about that, or any special tip to give, rather than, “we guess the success comes from the passion and effort we put into it”. The force pushing us to give the best experience to all who have given us the responsibility to surprise them with unexpected moments. And that´s what Figueira Beach Rugby is all about… moments we will never forget!

Thanks to ALL who have somehow actively participated in this event! Without you nothing would be the same!!!

1. Filipa, You have been a great friend of Figueira Beach Rugby for many years. Remember the first time you participated in the event?

R: I remember yes, it was soon in the first edition! I confess I was a bit apprehensive about adapting to the beach rugby variant but it was a fantastic experience, I was a fan from the first moment.

2. In your opinion what makes Figueira Beach Rugby such a special event?

R: It’s your set! The organization is excellent and improves every year, the mix of competition and conviviality (the parties are very nice) is positive for the event, the beach and the sun do the rest! Over the years the growing number of foreign teams has increased the competitive level, which in the view of the referee makes the event more and more appealing!

3. What are the main differences / challenges for which an umpire should be prepared when he/she whistles Beach Rugby?

R: Well, it’s completely different! To start the ground…. Forces you to change running lines and placements. If we internalize the rule of 2 seconds (it seems confusing, but in fact promotes the continuity of the game) everything is simple to judge, much simpler than in other variants!

4. Do you feel any change in the attitude of the teams, or in the relationship between referee and athletes in Beach Rugby, regarding Rugby XV or VII?

R: It is generally thought that beach rugby is less competitive than other variants, but whoever treads the fields (regardless of the ground) knows that there is any team just wanting to “play”. The teams always want to win and that requires the referee the same level of commitment to the game. But of course the surrounding makes the whole competition lighter and especially livelier! It has happened to me all on Figueira Beach Rugby sands, and I remember everything with a big smile!

5. In your opinion what role will be reserved for Beach Rugby in the scenario of Global Rugby?

R: Beach Rugby has a very important role in publicizing the sport! It’s a big stage. If we take the example of Figueira Beach Rugby, the number of unknown rugby people who, in passing, stop to watch the game, then come the fun and animation and end up sitting on the bench to enjoy the event as a whole … In countries like Portugal (where Rugby is not yet a mass modality) beach rugby is the biggest showcase we can have, it is in sight of those who simply go to the beach with the family! Through events like the FBR we have already recruited many young players

6. Finally, can we count on your smile at Figueira Beach Rugby in 2017?

R: What a question … Off Course! It is an event that is already part of my calendar.
Good luck for the 2017 edition and thank you very much for the confidence deposited! See you in Figueira!